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Bajoran
A race of Humanoids native to the planet Bajor. One of the oldest Humanoid civilizations in the modern galaxy, the Bajorans were known to be great artists, architects, scholars and philosophers before Humans had even fully evolved. A spiritual people, for the last 10,000 years their culture has resolved around worship of the Prophets, immortal non-linear life-forms whose realm is intimately connected to planet Bajor. Content to remain on their lush and plentiful world, the Bajorans developed spaceflight but never expanded very far, instead letting the secrets of the universe come to them through contact with the Prophets. Unfortunately, this complacent attitude made them easy targets, and in the early 24th century the Bajorans were invaded by the neighbouring Cardassians, who plundered their world and subjugated their culture. Many Bajorans left Bajor and founded refugee colonies across the Alpha Quadrant; others remained and fought to reclaim their planet. Eventually, the Bajorans were freed, and their provisional government turned to the United Federation of Planets for help. Among the Federation representatives assigned to assist the Bajorans was Benjamin Sisko, who was hailed as the Emissary: the prophesized holy one chosen by the Prophets, destined to bring about Bajor’s restoration and save the Bajoran people. The Bajoran species takes its name from that of its dominant culture, the Bajora. The term “Bajora” originally signified an ethnic subgroup which became a theocratic nation-state. It eventually dominated planet Bajor both culturally and economically, subsuming other ethnic identities. Thousands of years later, despite the persistence of regional and ethnic variation among the people of Bajor, they now share a common identity as Bajorans. Physiology Bajorans are distinguished by the wrinkled bony ridges on the bridge of the nose, which serve to protect this vulnerable region. The number of wrinkles varies from four to seven. Male Bajorans have similar ridges on the base of the penis.This unique feature of their anatomy makes them a sought after commodity in certain circles. Bajoran skin is beige or brown, with a similar range of tones to Humans, but more individuals of a Caucasian appearance. The hair is brown, black, red or blonde. Males tend to wear it short, females in a wider variety of styles. Although they look mostly Human, Bajorans are distinct in a number of ways. Their eyesight is sensitive to a slightly different range of electromagnetic waves, and they also give off very different scents. A Caitian once commented that Bajorans smelled less like prey than most Humanoids; to Cardassians, the odour can often be unpleasant. Certain internal organs also contrast with those of Humans. The Bajoran heart, for example, is arranged along a horizontal, rather than a vertical, axis. Nevertheless, it possesses both “upper” and “lower” ventricles; piercing the lower ventricle brings instant death. Despite these differences, Bajorans can easily interbreed with Humans, thanks to the shared genetic markers programmed into both the Terran and Bajoran biospheres by the First Humanoids. Like Humans, Bajorans possess red blood. Also, the two species are sufficiently alike that diseases and medicines affecting one race will usually affect the other. Language See: Bajoran Language Insignia The circle at the lowest level represents the world of Bajor, her people, and, in a greater sense, all that is corporeal. The first oval that envelops the circle and extends above it is the universe around them, all that lies beyond Bajor. The last oval (the largest), which surrounds the other two, symbolizes the Prophets. It signifies the place they have in Bajoran life, watching over everything, knowing all, protecting and nurturing the people. The column that rises from the crest of the circle, bisecting the two larger ovals, is the pathway that unites the entirety: Bajor and her children, the universe and the Prophets. Significantly, the pathway extends beyond the realm of the Prophets, representing the gateway to the unknown, the unfinished road. It recalls the eternal quest for knowledge and understanding. Category:Bajoran Culture Category:Bajoran System Category:Sapient Species